Sutra 22

Devanagari script

चारकादभियुक्तं मुञ्चतो निष्पातयतो वा मध्यमः साहसदण्डः अभियोगदानं च बन्धनागारात्सर्वस्वं वधश्च ॥ कZ_०४.९.२२ ॥

Transliteration

cārakād abhiyuktaṃ muñcato niṣpātayato vā madhyamaḥ sāhasadaṇḍaḥ abhiyogadānaṃ ca bandhanāgārāt sarvasvaṃ vadhaś ca

Translation

Whoever releases an accused person from guarded custody, or expels him improperly, incurs the middle-grade sāhasa penalty and must also furnish a substitute accused; (if released) from the prison, the penalty is confiscation of all property and death.

Word by Word

चारकात्from a spy (informant)

अभियुक्तम्the accused (person)

मुञ्चतः(if one) releases (him)

निष्पातयतःor (if one) causes (him) to escape / lets him slip away

वाor

मध्यमःthe middle (grade)

साहसदण्डःthe sāhasa-penalty (graded fine/punishment for forcible/violent wrongdoing)

अभियोगदानम्and the lodging of a charge (institution of accusation)

चand

बन्धनागारात्from the prison

सर्वस्वम्all property (i.e., total confiscation)

वधःexecution (death penalty)

चand

Entities Mentioned

abhiyukta (accused)

cāraka

bandhanāgāra

FAQs

Why is prison-release treated more severely than release from cāraka custody?

Prison custody implies higher security and greater public risk; the text escalates deterrence to confiscation and death to protect judicial authority.